Warriors' Buddy Hield Has Clear Stance on Jonathan Kuminga's Offseason Saga

Warriors' Buddy Hield Has Clear Stance on Jonathan Kuminga's Offseason Saga originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

Long-time NBA sharpshooter Buddy Hield spent the entirety of the 2024-25 season with the Golden State Warriors.

Hield shot 37% on 3-pointers, which is lower than his career average of 40%. Still, he was a strong contributor on Steve Kerr's squad, having appeared in 82 games and logged 22 starts.

The Warriors guard is in his second season of a four-year, $37.7 million deal, which means he can continue to mesh within the team's system alongside the core players. Outside of his floor spacing ability, Hield's on-ball defending skills were tested late in the season, and he fared quite well.

Beyond his on-court impact, Hield is a positive presence in the locker room. His chemistry with Jimmy Butler has been glaring, and he's been an entertaining figure on the squad.

While Hield's position with the organization, for now, seems secure, his teammate isn't in the same position. Jonathan Kuminga remains a restricted free agent and is unsigned this offseason.

The 22-year-old forward wants to blossom into a star player. That opportunity, simply put, might not be available if he remains with Golden State. Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Butler are leading the way in those roles as the club pursues another title.

Hield has clear stance on Kuminga saga

Kuminga might need a change of scenery, and the Warriors could very well prioritize more complementary players, similar to Hield. Despite the stance of the two sides, Hield didn't hold back on how he feels about Kuminga and his free agency saga, as he was able to explain on ESPN's broadcast during Summer Leauge in Las Vegas.

“He’s a worker. We all know JK can play. We would love to have him back; we can’t wait. It’s out of our control. The front office will have to talk and negotiate," Hield explained. “He’s a special talent. Everybody in this league knows he is a special talent, and I hope that he stays and we can go on this run together.”

Hield has been a positive voice within the squad, with a solid locker room presence. It's not shocking he would show public support to Kuminga, who is trying to make the best decision for his NBA future.

Early last season, Kuminga looked the part as a star talent. Then he suffered an ankle injury in January that sidelined him for two months. The Warriors then added Butler at the trade deadline, which handicapped Kuminga's role.

Golden State is chasing a title with win-now talents at this stage of Curry's career, and Butler makes far more sense from a roster standpoint than Kuminga.

While Hield -- and others -- will want Kuminga to return, his potential re-signing will come with the caveat that he's expected to be traded to a better destination for himself down the line, while the Warriors look to make a win-now move to bolster the roster in the short term.

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 14, 2025, where it first appeared.